My wife seems to have a heart problem. Her family has a history of heart problems

My wife seems to have a heart problem. Can anyone advise? She comes from a family where just about everyone has high blood pressure and dies from either myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure . She has been having (once or twice a week) what she describes as a fluttering in her chest , accompanied by an irregular pulse and breathlessness . She knows how to take a pulse cos her mum was a nurse. She went to see the district nurse for a checkup. Her BP was 115 over 82 - nice and low for her. The nurse said the fluttering/breathlessness was nothing to worry about, but I m not so sure. Any medically qualified people, or people with similar problems, got any advice? Should have said my wife is 51 and otherwise in good health.

Hi, I agree you are right to be cautious and I don't think the nurse had enough information to reassure her.
She needs to see her GP for a full check up, I hope she is a lifelong non smoker! She needs a cholesterol check, if she has not had one, and a 24 hour ECG monitor or cardio-memo to see what the rhythm problem is.

Answered: Thu, 10 Dec 2009

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